You have found a commercial space, the rental price fits your budget, and you are ready to sign. But wait: the base rent is only a fraction of what you will actually pay. The hidden costs of renting commercial property regularly amount to 40–60% of the annual rent — and many tenants are unpleasantly surprised by this. In this article, we map out all the costs that come on top of the rental price, so you can plan your budget realistically.
Security deposit and bank guarantee
The first hidden cost presents itself before you even receive the keys: the security deposit. With most commercial lease agreements in the Netherlands, a deposit is mandatory. The standard amount is three months' rent plus service charges, but some landlords request six months or more, especially for smaller or start-up businesses.
For a 400 m² office at EUR 200 per m² per year with EUR 50 per m² in service charges, this means:
- Monthly rent + service charges: approximately EUR 8,350
- Deposit (3 months): approximately EUR 25,000
- Deposit (6 months): approximately EUR 50,000
Instead of a cash deposit, some landlords request a bank guarantee. This means your bank guarantees the amount. The advantage is that you do not actually have to transfer the money, but there are costs involved: the bank typically charges 1–2% per year on the guaranteed amount, plus a one-off arrangement fee.
In principle, you get the deposit back at the end of the lease — but only if you hand back the property in the correct condition and there are no outstanding claims. In practice, we regularly see disputes about the return of deposits.
Fit-out costs and refurbishment
Unless you rent a turn-key office, you will need to fit out the space to your own specifications. The costs for this vary enormously, depending on the delivery condition and your requirements:
- Shell-and-core delivery: you receive a bare space without flooring, ceiling, or lighting. Fit-out costs: EUR 400 – 1,000 per m²
- Standard delivery: flooring, suspended ceiling, and lighting are in place. Fit-out costs: EUR 150 – 400 per m²
- Turn-key delivery: the space is fully fitted out. Fit-out costs: EUR 0 – 100 per m² (only your own furniture and decoration)
For a shell-and-core delivery of 400 m², you are therefore quickly looking at EUR 160,000 – 400,000 in fit-out costs. This is an amount you must finance before you can start using the space.
Also note who pays for the fit-out when you leave. Under a standard ROZ contract, you are obliged to return the property to its original condition — meaning you must remove your own fit-out. More on this under the reinstatement obligation.
The fit-out costs for a 400 m² shell-and-core office can exceed two years' rent — a cost that many first-time tenants underestimate.
Legal and advisory costs
A commercial lease is a complex legal document that should always be reviewed by a specialist. The costs for this are often forgotten in the budget:
- Legal advice on the lease: EUR 1,500 – 5,000 (depending on complexity)
- Agent's fee: if you have engaged a letting agent to find the space, they typically charge 10–15% of the first year's rent
- Building survey: EUR 1,000 – 3,000 for a structural survey of the property
- Tax advice: EUR 500 – 2,000 for advice on VAT options and fiscal optimisation
The agent's fee in particular can be substantial. On an annual rent of EUR 100,000, you quickly pay EUR 10,000 – 15,000 in fees. Through RE-CONNECT, incidentally, you can get in direct contact with landlords, which in many cases allows you to avoid these costs.
Moving costs and downtime
The move itself brings direct and indirect costs that are often underestimated:
- Removal company: EUR 5,000 – 25,000 depending on scale and distance
- IT relocation: EUR 2,000 – 15,000 for relocating and reconfiguring servers, networks, and workstations
- Productivity loss: allow for 2–5 working days of reduced productivity for the entire team
- Address changes: costs for updating stationery, business cards, website, Chamber of Commerce registration, and other records
- Temporary storage: if there is a gap between your old and new lease, you may need temporary storage space
The indirect costs of productivity loss are the most commonly overlooked. For a company with 30 employees and an average daily wage of EUR 300, 3 days of reduced productivity already costs EUR 27,000.
Connection costs and IT infrastructure
Modern businesses depend on reliable digital infrastructure. The costs of setting this up at a new location are regularly underestimated:
- Fibre optic connection: EUR 500 – 5,000 one-off (depending on whether fibre is already in the building)
- Cabling and network: EUR 50 – 150 per m² for Cat6a cabling, patch panels, and network cabinets
- Telephony solution: EUR 500 – 3,000 for a VoIP system
- Security system: EUR 2,000 – 10,000 for cameras, alarm, and access control
- Server room fit-out: EUR 3,000 – 15,000 if you need local servers
Always ask before signing the lease which IT facilities are already in place. A property with existing fibre and structured cabling can save you thousands of euros.
Reinstatement obligation on departure
One of the most expensive surprises comes only at the end of your lease: the reinstatement obligation. Under most commercial leases, you are obliged to return the property in the condition in which you received it — unless otherwise agreed.
This can mean:
- Removing all self-installed provisions (partition walls, kitchen, floor covering)
- Restoring walls, ceilings, and floors
- Repainting and repairs
- Removing cabling and IT infrastructure
The cost of restoring a 400 m² office to its original condition easily amounts to EUR 30,000 – 80,000, depending on the extent of the modifications you have made. This amount needs to be reserved or included in your business case.
Tip: negotiate the reinstatement obligation when entering into the lease. Some landlords accept that you may hand back the property in its current condition (as-is), or agree a fixed sum for the reinstatement.
The reinstatement obligation on departure can cost tens of thousands of euros — negotiate this when entering the contract, not at the end.
Other hidden costs
Besides the major cost items, there are various smaller costs that together form a significant amount:
- Rent indexation: the annual CPI-based increase adds 10–15% to your total rent costs over a 5-year contract
- Insurance: business liability insurance, contents insurance, and glass insurance: EUR 1,000 – 5,000 per year
- Parking costs: not always included in the rent. In the Randstad: EUR 100 – 300 per parking space per month
- Local taxes: property tax (user's share), sewage charges, and waste collection levies: EUR 1,000 – 5,000 per year (depending on municipality and floor area)
- VAT: with an opted-in lease, you pay 21% VAT on the rent, which you can only reclaim if you yourself provide VAT-taxable services. Read more about this in our article on VAT on commercial property rent.
- Interim repairs: depending on your lease, you are responsible for minor maintenance of the rented space
Checklist: mapping total costs
Use this checklist to get a realistic picture of the total costs when renting commercial property:
- One-off costs at commencement:
- Security deposit or bank guarantee
- Agent's fee
- Legal advice
- Building survey
- Fit-out costs (shell-and-core/standard/turn-key)
- IT infrastructure and connections
- Moving costs
- Annual costs:
- Base rent (including annual indexation)
- Service charges
- Energy costs (own consumption)
- Parking costs
- Insurance
- Local taxes
- VAT (if applicable)
- Minor maintenance
- Costs on departure:
- Reinstatement obligation
- Moving costs to new location
- Any damage settlement
By mapping out all costs in advance, you prevent your budget coming under pressure halfway through the lease. Want to also know what a market-rate rental price is for your region? See our overview of office rental prices per m² in 2026.
